Footprints in snow leads to Oakville arrests

An observant citizen and a trail of footprints in the snow led to the arrest of two men on break and enter charges in the Bristol Circle area early Saturday morning.

At around 3:15 a.m., a concerned resident flagged down a Halton police cruiser after seeing two men walking between parked tractor-trailers on a commercial property at 2872 Bristol Circle.

Officers were able to follow footprints in the snow, which led them to two men walking in the immediate area.

Police detained the men and soon found the security fence around the compound had been cut and several tractor-trailers had been broken into.

A subsequent police investigation resulted in the two suspects also being charged with recent thefts of vehicles in Oakville.

Manpreet Sarao, 32, of Windsor, Ont. has been charged with break and enter, mischief under $5,000, two counts of theft over $5,000, possession of break and enter tools, three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance.

Kuldip Somal, 47, of Burlington has been charged with break and enter, mischief under $5,000, two counts of theft over $5,000, possession of break and enter tools and three counts of theft of a motor vehicle.